Mobile devices, in the form of phones, computers, digital assistants, and hand held devices have become commonplace in society. Cellular phones, for example, are now carried by individuals at work, at home, at play, and in a variety of other environments. The increased range of wireless communication coverage enhances the variety of environments in which wireless-enabled mobile devices may be used. It may not be unusual to see a mobile device used while an individual is at the beach, at the mall, near a river, walking over a rocky surface, or hiking up a mountain.
Cases have been developed that protect mobile devices from dirt and scratches that may accumulate from normal use. The cases may comprise a shell or other covering that extends over the mobile device so that dirt does not enter crevices of the mobile device, or so the outer finish of the device is not scratched. The rising costs of mobile devices may make it be worthwhile for an individual to invest in a case that protects the mobile device from dirt or scratches.
However, the variety of environments that mobile devices are now used in may demand greater protection for a mobile device. In addition, the increased amount of time that an individual spends holding a mobile device may increase the probability that the individual drops a mobile device. Cases that merely protect mobile devices from dirt and scratches may be insufficient to protect the device from impact applied directly to the case. The strength of such an impact may be great because users are now more likely to carry mobile devices over hard surfaces like concrete, asphalt, rocks, or the like. In addition, the variety of environments in which mobile devices are used may increase the probability that the individual's hands are slick, which allows the mobile device to more easily slip out of the user's hand (e.g., at the beach, at the gym). Such impact may crack, disengage, or otherwise damage electronic components within the mobile device, or may shatter a view screen or touch screen on the device.